His Rest Restores

Matthew 11:28-29
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

I was concerned I’d worn her out.

Our seven-year-old granddaughter, Ella Cate, spent the night on Monday. What a delight! (I’m not prejudice, nope, not at all.) On Monday, we played on the playground, swam in the community pool, watched cartoons, drew pictures, and ate kid food with Grammy’s requirement of fruit. She blessed every meal with a sweet prayer and went sound to sleep that night. On Tuesday, we spent most of the day at the pool, met her parents for dinner, then she went home to sleep in her own bed.

On Wednesday morning, I went to her house and discovered a tired little girl. A good tired, mind you, but tired nonetheless. We watched a movie, then went with my daughter to lunch and patio furniture shopping.

When I called Ella Cate on Thursday and heard her perky voice on her momma’s phone, I knew she’d gotten her pep back. A restful morning on Wednesday and a good night’s sleep helped restore her sweet little self.

Ella Cate and I had so much fun, but even in good times, we got tired. A night of rest restored our energy and carried us through.

Jesus offers rest for the weary and burdened. Who does that entail? All of us. Folks worn out from the stress of life. People burdened with sin and folks concerned for family and friends. Jesus knew we’d grow tired, he knew, when he died on the cross, he’d take on the weight of the world. The very picture of Jesus gentle and humble heart reminds me how much he loves me.

In Jesus, I rest in the assurance of grace and forgiveness and the promise of eternal life in heaven. 

Seek Jesus for relief from this weary world.

Rest, Recharge, Refresh

Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

My daughter, Maggie, directs the VBS program at her church every year. She pours her heart into preparing the best possible environment for kids to learn about Jesus. Along with her children, she decorates the church with the year's theme and turns it into a wonderland for the kids. This year the beach theme brought out surfboards, Hawaiian leis, hibiscus, palm trees and beach balls. You may wonder, why all the effort? Because she loves creating a place for kids to hear Bible stories, for kids to be loved on, and for kids to know someone cares. I had the privilege of helping her with a few small tasks, and I can tell you this momma's heart is proud of the work she does for Jesus. No matter how many or few kids show up, they will be blessed.

Yet, as much joy that comes from preparing for and working at VBS, exhaustion usually follows. I've been there and done that. I'm guessing you have too. Worked for days, even months on a project you've been called to do, plus all the other responsibilities in life. By the end you are tired. That's when we need to rest, recharge and refresh.

But Jesus who calls us to work the fields also calls us to rest.

I love that Matthew tells us that Jesus has a gentle and humble heart, and that he offers us rest for our souls. When we put in effort doing the Lord's work, we don't just get physically tired. We often become spiritually weary, dragged down by negativity, judgy people, and frustration. Jesus promises to recharge us through his rest. His yoke lifts our burdens and refreshes us because he carries them. When we take on Jesus' yoke, we take on the love he pours over us.

When the weariness and burdens seep in, turn to God in prayer and read his word in order to soak in the Savior. His is a yoke of love meant to lift burdens and give rest. Thank you Jesus for your loving kindness.

Rest in HIm